Orioles searching for another Basallo as international signing period begins

While 2025 wasn’t a good year for the Orioles on the field, it was an important year for their international program.

Samuel Basallo, who was named the top catching prospect in baseball for the second straight year by MLB.com on Wednesday, became the first Latin American player signed under the current Orioles’ regime to play in the major leagues.

Not only was Basallo the first player signed under Koby Perez, the team’s vice president of international scouting and operations to play for the Orioles, but he was the first player extended under president of baseball operations Mike Elias.

Five days after Basallo made his major league debut, he signed an eight-year, $67 million contract with an option for 2034.

Basallo, who was a prime prospect when Perez signed him for $1.3 million in January 2021, is also the first homegrown player from the Dominican Republic to play for the team since 2011.

On Thursday, the Orioles will announce their newest international signees, and they’d like to find another player on Basallo’s level.

The Orioles have an advantage in the signing period. Along with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Cleveland Guardians, Colorado Rockies, Kansas City Royals, Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals, the Orioles have  a pool of $8,034,900 to spend, the largest in the majors.

Perez was an early hire of Elias in 2019, and while it took six years until he had a major league player, the team has made steady progress in its international program.

In 2024, the team opened its new complex in the Dominican Republic, and it currently has six scouts there.

Besides Basallo, who remains the top-rated prospect, there are seven Elias/Perez signees among the team’s top 30 prospects: right-handers Esteban Mejia (6^th) and Keeler Morfe (16^th); outfielder Stiven Martinez (17^th); left-hander Luis De Léon (18^th); infielder Aron Estrada (22^nd); outfielder Jordan Sanchez (24^th); and shortstop José Peña (29^th).

The Orioles didn’t spend close to the money they spent on Basallo for these other projects. Mejia, who signed two years ago, completed a successful first year in the United States in 2025.

After signing for $150,000, Mejia pitched in the Dominican Summer League in 2024, and the 18-year-old had a combined 2.94 ERA in 14 games for the Florida Complex League and Single-A Delmarva in 2025.

The closest to the majors are the 22-year-old De Léon and Estrada, who turned 21 on Tuesday.

De Léon, signed for just $30,000 late in the 2020-2021 signing period and was 5-3 with a 3.30 ERA in 20 games for Delmarva, High-A Aberdeen and Double-A Chesapeake.

Most impressive, De Léon, didn’t allow a home run in 87 1/3 innings. He was 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA in five starts for Peoria in the Arizona Fall League. Overall, he’s given up just five home runs in 256 2/3 minor league innings.

Estrada, who signed for $175,000 in 2022, hit .288 with an .813 OPS, 10 home runs, 53 RBIs in 108 games for Aberdeen and Chesapeake. He also had 34 steals in 40 attempts. He’s mostly played second base in the minors, though he’s also played shortstop and the outfield.

Morfe, who started last March’s Spring Breakout Game, was 0-3 with a 7.48 ERA in 12 games with the FCL Orioles and Delmarva. The Venezuelan signed for $207,500 in 2022.

Martinez, who signed for $950,000 in 2024, has struggled in his adjustment to baseball in the U.S. The 18-year-old hit a combined .185 in 74 games in the FCL and Delmarva while Sanchez, a 20-year-old from Cuba has done much better. He hit .291 with a .950 OPS with seven home runs and 49 RBIs in 58 games between the FCL and the Shorebirds. He signed for $450,000 in 2023.

Peña was the most notable of the Orioles’ signees in 2025. He signed for $1 million. The 17-year-old hit .240 with two homers and 23 RBIs in 54 games in the Dominican Summer League.

One player who’s not on the top prospect list is Luis Almeyda, who was signed for $2.3 million in 2023. Born in Paterson, New Jersey, the 19-year-old moved to the Dominican Republic during high school and showed some improvement in 2025, hitting .240 with three home runs and 42 RBIs in 73 games with the FCL Orioles and Shorebirds.

Call for questions: I answer Orioles questions most weekdays. Please send yours to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com.